The Seed of Consolation in the Destruction

But this is not trouble, but joy, for on that very day, Menachem [the Comforter = the Mashiach] was born and Israel received full payment for all their sins. For R. Shemuel said: Israel received full payment for their sins when the Temple was destroyed, as it is written: "The punishment of your iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion" (Eikha 4:22). (Peticha to Esther Rabba 12)

For were it not for the destruction of the Temple, no remnant of Israel would have been left, God forbid. As it is stated: "A psalm of Asaf. O God, the heathen are come into your inheritance" (Tehillim 79:1). It should have said: "A lamentation of Asaf"! Rather, he recited a psalm that He cast His anger on wood and stone, for were it not for that, no remnant would have been left.

It happened that a man was plowing when one of his oxen lowed. A passing Arab asked him: “Who are you?” The man answered: “I am a Jew.” The Arab said: “Detach you ox and untie your plow.” “Why?” asked the Jew. “Because the Temple of the Jews is [to be] destroyed!” “How do you know this?” “Because of the lowing of your ox.” While he was saying this, the ox lowed again. The Arab then said: “Harness your ox and tie up your plow, because the deliverer of the Jews is born!” “What is his name?” “Menachem [= the Comforter].” “What is his father's name?” “Chizkiyahu”….

R. Abun said: Why should I learn this from an Arab when there is an explicit text that states: "And Lebanon [i.e., the Temple] shall fall by a mighty hand" (Yeshayahu 10:34); and afterwards it is written: "And there shall come forth a shoot out of the stock of Yishai and a twig shall grow forth out of his roots" (Yeshayahu 11:1). (Eikha Rabba 1:3. The source of this Aggada is the Yerushalmi, Berakhot 2:4)

Any washing performed for the sake of pleasure is forbidden all day long, whether washing one's entire body or washing one's face, hands, or feet. One who is lenient and washes from the time of the afternoon service and on violates the words of the Sages. There is, however, an ancient custom that women wash themselves from the time of the afternoon service on the day of Tisha Be-Av. The early authorities instituted this, and their intentions were good. They brought support for this from that which is stated in the Aggada that the Mashiach was born on the day of Tisha Be-Av. Just as we make a reminder of the destruction and the mourning, so must we make a reminder for the [coming of the] Redeemer and the Comforter, so that people not despair of redemption.

Tachanun is not recited on Tisha be-Av, and we do not fall on our faces, because the day is called a mo'ed ("an appointed season"). (Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayyim 559:4)

 

"With their faces one to another." But surely it is written: "And their faces were inward"! There is no difficulty: The former was at a time when Israel obeyed the will of God; the latter was at a time when Israel did not obey the will of God. (Bava Batra 99a)

R. Katina said: Whenever Israel would come up to the Festival, the curtain would be removed for them and they were shown the keruvim, whose bodies were intertwisted with one another, and they would be thus addressed: “Look! You are beloved before God as the love between man and woman.” (Yoma 54a)

Resh Lakish said: When the heathens entered the Temple and saw the keruvim, whose bodies were intertwisted with one another, they carried them out and said: “These Israelites, whose blessing is a blessing and whose curse is a curse, occupy themselves with such things!” And immediately they despised them, as it is said: "All that honored her, despised her, because they have seen her nakedness" (Eikha 1:8). (Yoma 54b)

Long ago, as R. Gamaliel, R. Elazar b. Azarya, R. Yehoshua, and R. Akiva were walking on the road, they heard the noise of the crowds at Rome [on travelling] from Puteoli, a hundred and twenty miles away. They all fell a-weeping, but R. Akiva seemed merry. They said to him: “Why are you merry?” He said to them: “Why are you weeping?” They said: “These heathens who bow down to images and burn incense to idols live in safety and ease, whereas our Temple, the footstool of our God, is burnt down by fire, and should we then not weep?!” He replied: “Therefore, I am merry. If they that offend Him fare thus, how much better shall fare they that do obey Him!”

Once again they were coming up to Jerusalem together, and just as they came to Mount Scopus, they saw a fox emerging from the Holy of Holies. They fell a-weeping, but R. Akiva seemed merry. They said to him: “Why are you merry?” He said: “Why are you weeping?” They said to him: “A place of which it was once said: ‘And the common man that draws near shall be put to death’ (Bemidbar 1:51) is now become the haunt of foxes, and should we not weep?!” He said to them: “Therefore, I am merry; for it is written: ‘And I will take to Me faithful witnesses to record, Uriya the priest and Zecharya the son of Yeberachya; (Yeshayahu 8:2). Now what connection has this Uriya the priest with Zecharya? Uriya lived during the times of the first Temple, while Zecharya lived [and prophesied] during the second Temple; but Scripture linked the [later] prophecy of Zecharya with the [earlier] prophecy of Uriya. In the [earlier] prophecy [in the days] of Uriya it is written: ‘Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field’ (Mikha 3:12). In Zecharya it is written: ‘Thus says the Lord of Hosts: There shall yet old men and old women sit in the broad places of Jerusalem’ (Zekharya 8:4). So long as Uriya's [threatening] prophecy had not had its fulfillment, I had misgivings lest Zecharya's prophecy might not be fulfilled; now that Uriya's prophecy has been [literally] fulfilled, it is quite certain that Zecharya's prophecy also is to find its literal fulfillment.” They said to him: “Akiva, you have comforted us! Akiva, you have comforted us!” (Makkot 24a-b).